It’s worth saying at the
outset that this gig was originally slated to be at the much smaller Slade
Rooms around the corner from the Wulfrun. It could never have taken place
there. Not, unfortunately anything to do with the crowd. That would have just
about filled the former, but rather it just would not have fitted physically.
Don’t believe me? The night
ends with 11 of the world’s finest prog rock musicians onstage, two drum kits
(and one of these belonged to Mike Portnoy) someone jumping off the speaker
stack, someone else jumping out of a box all in one joyous finale. Not for
nothing is this gig billed as Prog Rock Royalty.
The tale of how we got here
begins some three and half hours earlier; When Swedish Prog masters The Flower
Kings take the stage. Immediately kicking off with a 25-minute epic masterpiece
in “Numbers” from their most recent album “ Banks Of Eden” their hour-long set
is basically faultless.
They are far less po-faced
than you might imagine too. Introducing the band, which includes a couple of
Germans, front man Roine Stolt encourages to “not mention the war,” for example
and throughout the exemplary playing, which also includes a stunning “The Truth
Will Set You Free” they exude a happy, easy charm.
Indeed, so good were they
that you did wonder if they might upstage the headliner. As it happened, not a
bit of it!
Neal Morse, is a modern Prog
Legend, his work in Spocks Beard and the supergroup Transatlantic affords him
such status, and the fact that his band for this trek contains modern day
marvel Mike Portnoy, who since leaving Dream Theater has managed to up his
workload, only reinforces the thought that this evening is very special indeed.
Last year Morse released an
astonishing record called “Momentum” (which, RTM, to its shame, didn’t hear
until 2013) and it is the title track from that that kicks us off tonight.
“Author Of Confusion” soon follows with its harmonies seeing all the band sing
expertly, before Eric Gillette elevates the thing with a stupendous solo. Best
of all, though is closing song “World Without End,” all 34 minutes of it in all
its stunning glory.
How do you top that? Well
with three members of Transatlantic in the room you play 45 minutes of their
songs, with “Whirlwind” perhaps the pick, before the aforementioned jam closes the
evening off.
The eponymous star is clearly
enjoying himself, grinning throughout and even letting Portnoy play a touch of
metal at one point. Morse’s songs deal with his spiritual beliefs, which makes him
a rather incongruous listen for us. These are not views we share, or believe in
for that matter, but he clearly has convictions and has crafted some absolutely
magnificent songs to tell that story.
A quite joyous evening in all senses of the word and one of the gigs of the year.
"These are not views we share, or believe in for that matter" ??? I can only feel sorry for you and hope someday you'll not only relish the music but also the message being offered.
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